CLERMONT COUNTY, OH - A man in his thirties has been indicted on several charges in connection with the death of his four-month-old daughter.
The alleged suspect, 30-year-old Marcellaus Malone, was indicted on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, domestic violence, and seven counts of endangering children, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE. If convicted on all counts, Malone faces a life sentence in prison.
On Wednesday, April 22, he pleaded not guilty. A judge set his bond at $3 million. Authorities responded to his home on December 11, 2025, and found an unresponsive infant girl, according to prosecutors. She was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The night the baby died, her mother appropriately swaddled her, and Malone put her in the bassinet, according to the investigation. He was allegedly the last person to see the infant alive. The mother called 911 at 12:30 a.m. on December 11, reporting that the baby was not breathing.
She told the dispatcher that both she and the baby's father administered CPR. The dispatch call allegedly recorded Malone saying, "Come on, baby."
The infant's autopsy revealed "reported history of occlusion of the nose and mouth by swaddling of the body and head," which contributed to her death, Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said. He said that an investigation into the baby's death found that abuse had begun at least two months before the December 11 incident.
"Investigators discovered a video of Malone making threats to the baby,” Clermont County Assistant Prosecutor Nick Horton said in court on Wednesday, April 22, reports Local 12. “Telling her that she was going to be a dead baby and that he was going to toss her on the bed if she pissed him off."
Malone allegedly swaddled the baby to the point where she could not breathe and passed out, Horton said. "On at least one occasion, he punched the infant in the face for crying, causing significant bruising," Horton told the court.
"Children are our most precious gifts. It is unthinkable that this innocent child could have been treated in such a callous and evil manner," Tekulve said. "This Office is dedicated to holding accountable those who would do such unspeakable violence to our county's most vulnerable."
The alleged suspect, 30-year-old Marcellaus Malone, was indicted on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, domestic violence, and seven counts of endangering children, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE. If convicted on all counts, Malone faces a life sentence in prison.
On Wednesday, April 22, he pleaded not guilty. A judge set his bond at $3 million. Authorities responded to his home on December 11, 2025, and found an unresponsive infant girl, according to prosecutors. She was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The night the baby died, her mother appropriately swaddled her, and Malone put her in the bassinet, according to the investigation. He was allegedly the last person to see the infant alive. The mother called 911 at 12:30 a.m. on December 11, reporting that the baby was not breathing.
She told the dispatcher that both she and the baby's father administered CPR. The dispatch call allegedly recorded Malone saying, "Come on, baby."
The infant's autopsy revealed "reported history of occlusion of the nose and mouth by swaddling of the body and head," which contributed to her death, Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said. He said that an investigation into the baby's death found that abuse had begun at least two months before the December 11 incident.
"Investigators discovered a video of Malone making threats to the baby,” Clermont County Assistant Prosecutor Nick Horton said in court on Wednesday, April 22, reports Local 12. “Telling her that she was going to be a dead baby and that he was going to toss her on the bed if she pissed him off."
Malone allegedly swaddled the baby to the point where she could not breathe and passed out, Horton said. "On at least one occasion, he punched the infant in the face for crying, causing significant bruising," Horton told the court.
"Children are our most precious gifts. It is unthinkable that this innocent child could have been treated in such a callous and evil manner," Tekulve said. "This Office is dedicated to holding accountable those who would do such unspeakable violence to our county's most vulnerable."
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